Will NUS do anything to defend students? That will be the key question of NUS National Conference next week.

From the scrapping of EMA and cuts to ESOL funding, to the prospect of a fees and loans system, students in FE are being cut out and priced out of education.

Earlier this week a number of Further Education students wrote to NUS President Liam Burns – who is seeking re-election at this year’s conference – asking him to support the call a national demo to defend FE students from fees and cuts. They are still waiting for a response.

Here we share their open letter.

Open letter from FE students to NUS President Liam Burns – will you back a national demo and fight for our future?

The shameful scrapping of EMA will cost 16-18 year olds in college around £1000 a year each, and the ‘replacement’ 16-19 bursary falls woefully short of what is needed. UCU calculates that by 2013 FE will have suffered cuts of around £300 million, with 7,000 jobs and 160,000 student places facing the axe.

Cuts to ESOL funding and the new proposals to remove financial support for adult learners in FE and introduce a loans system should be fiercely opposed. These moves are forcing the most vulnerable learners out of education, with women, disabled, black and LGBT people all being hit the hardest. Students hoping to go on to HE are now facing the prospect of paying £9,000 a year for their education, and many are feeling priced out of education.

We are pleased to see so many student leaders calling for an NUS demo later this year. The NUS cannot afford to remain silent on these issues and we need to lead the fightback against the government’s assault on education.

With minsters aiming to introduce adult FE loans policy by 2013 we need to show our united resistance now more than ever.

Are you willing to stand up for us and call an NUS demo later this year?